1. Technical Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate generally to systems and methods for printing images. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods of printing images stored in a cloud storage medium.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Many mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets) provide users the ability to take and store digital images. Occasionally, a user may want a tangible copy of a digital image or photograph. Traditional methods of printing photographs from a mobile device suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, typically a user must first upload a full resolution version all of the desired digital images to a print vendor from the user's mobile device. The user can then order prints or copies of the uploaded digital images from the print vendor.
Unfortunately, uploading the digital images from a mobile device generally requires either a wireless data connection or the use of the cellular data. Cameras and other image capturing devices on smartphones and tablets are continually improving, and the quality and size of images captured with those mobile devices is also increasing. Each image may be several megabytes, so uploading more than one full-resolution digital image can be inconvenient or cost prohibitive for users. For example, uploading 100 digital images of approximately 5 megabytes each would use approximately 500 megabytes of data. Even uploading a smaller number of digital images could take up a significant amount of the user's data usage limit, particularly if done several times in a month. As such, a user may prefer, or be required, to have a wireless Internet connection before uploading or ordering prints of digital images.
Furthermore, some mobile operating systems can block or inhibit the user from performing other tasks on the mobile device while images are being uploaded. For example, a user uploading images to a print vendor from the user's mobile device may be unable to upload/download anything else until the images are completely uploaded. Additionally, download and/or processing speeds may be limited while the images are being uploaded, which may slow down other applications on the user's mobile device. Still further, depending upon the number of digital images the user desires to print, uploading the digital images can take a significant amount of time. The hassle of uploading digital images can cause users to abandon the print process or otherwise be dissuaded from printing images.
If more than one user wants to order prints of a shared or distributed image, typically each user needs to separately upload the image to a print vender. Alternatively, shared images may first need to be downloaded to a single device before being uploaded to the print vendor. As such, current mobile printing options may limit the options users have to print shared digital images to printing from the same vendor or having each user upload the desired digital images.
These and other disadvantages may exist with respect to printing digital images, particularly when printing from a mobile device.